Jeanne Estelle Looney

She had a joie de vivre and an infectious laugh even in the face of difficulty. She was an exceptional cook, an avid reader, member of the garden club, a docent at the Museum of Southeast Texas, a volunteer at the Beaumont Botanical Gardens. She was highly competent and organized and had a clever, one-of-a-kind sense of humor. Most of all, she was loving and ever thoughtful, very “thoughty” as she said of others, loyal and devoted to family and friends.

Jeanne, who was known in the family since childhood as “Bootsie”, was the third of three daughters born to Helion Doan Hardenstein and the former Elizabeth Louise Heurtevant, in Opelousas, Louisiana. Her father was a successful salesman until the 1929 stock market crash. He died when she was 13 years old. Her mother was a secretary and a nurse who retired at the age of 70.

Jeanne attended St. Anne’s Academy boarding school in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and earned her high school diploma. She later attended Lamar College. After graduation in 1942 she joined the newly established US Navy WAVES. She was stationed in Washington D.C. through the remainder of World War II, working for the Secretary of the Navy. She left the Service with two stripes.

After the war, she met and married Howard Girouard, and they settled down in Port Arthur. Though the marriage didn’t last, it did produce Jeanne’s only son, Jerry Doan Girouard. Jerry died in 1982 at the age of 31. Jeanne went to work at Gulf Oil Refinery and had a long and successful career there as an executive secretary and later a laboratory supervisor.

In 1990 she married the love of her life, Temple O. Looney. They had 26 wonderful years together, traveling around the country by car and to multiple places abroad. They were active in the community, enjoying golf, gardening, and their lovely Beaumont home. As the years rolled by, they became even closer and more devoted to each other, spending Friday evenings listening to Big Band music on the radio.

She is survived by her husband, Temple Looney, and stepchildren, Temple Looney, Jr., Carol Kurtzman (Rob), and Clay Looney (Shirley). She was especially close to her grandson, Jeremy Girouard (Addie) and great-grandsons, Jase and Tristan.

She was a role model and loving support to her nieces, Linda Mathers Smith and Kay Wadsworth Walch. She will be missed by her great-nieces, Brooke Bedingfield, Holly El Jammal (Rabih), Joy Thornhill, Kara Stevens, and great nephews, Blake Bedingfield (Cyndi), Blake Noonan, and Anthony Mathers (Amy). She is also survived by 13 step-grandchildren, 4 great-great nieces, and 6 great-great nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents and her son, Jerry Girouard; sisters, Emma Louise Wadsworth and Ottie Sonen; niece, Sandra Noonan; and nephew, Marc Mathers.

We will always be grateful for having had Jeanne in our lives.

A gathering of Mrs. Looney’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, October 21, 2016, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 22, 2016, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church Chapel, 6825 Gladys Avenue, Beaumont. Her interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.